I recently got back into doing 48th scale aircraft. Used to build the cheapest version way back when and did a decent job and a good paint up. So this time around i decided to go with the best. Enter the Hasegawa F-14 Tomcat. MAN !!! What a freakin disaster. This kit is like doing a resin. Virtually no pins to guide you into correct spots. And the fit....well me and squadron putty are having a real fine time. The method of attaching the landing gear is a joke. Remebering that the weight of the model will rest on this (at least for most of us who do wheel down versions) I had to glue them up heavy to insure they were set. Msaybe they ought to look at engineering a kit that goes together well instead of super detailing things that when assembled no one can see.

NOw, I have examined their Phantom kits and really like what I've seen and dry fitted.

So now I've vented my spleen. Advise those who want a decent rendition of this kit without the mess of a poorly engineered kit. Get the Italerie. Maybe the Academy, I've never looked at it.

To be honest Allen (Tomcat31) and I have never had any issues with the Hasegawa F-14 and we have built several of them over the year's. Out of all of the offerings of the F-14 that we have built we believe that the Hasegawa one is better than the Revell/Monogram, and the Italeri kits.

I got the Atlantic version. Like I sid there were no guides (pins) to line up parts. I foyund it difficult to make sure that fusealage sections lined up perfectly. Putitin the pieces of the front fusalage (cockpit area) was a major issue, I had to split it 2 times to get the stuff to line up and cut up the wheel well section to get it to fit. Joining the front section to the rear section. Lets say the putty was liberally applied here. I have done complete resin kits and I build 350 scale ships mainly (micro-PE !!) So I am competent. THis kit will end up looking OK, but not what I was hoping for.